What Is a Masonary Blade Circular Saw?

Steve SmithUpdated February 21, 2017

A circular saw is known for its ability to cut wood. However, today with the invention of new types of masonry blades, these saws are able to cut through masonry and stone. The lightweight saws are fitted with blades that were once only used on the masonry saw itself. Now, these circular saws help homeowners with a range of products involving tiles and stone.

Using a Circular Saw Masonry Blade

A circular saw is a hand held power tool that uses an electric motor. The more powerful, the faster it will cut through wood. However, the power of the saw affects how it is used on stone. When a circular saw masonry blade is used on stone it creates a great deal of friction. It is up to the operator to determine how much friction the blade will handle.

The Different Types of Blades

Choosing the right blade for the right job will greatly affect your results and the performance of the circular saw. Different types of blades will create more or less friction depending on what they are cutting. For instance, a diamond masonry blade will create less friction if used on ceramic than on a solid block of granite. Different types of masonry blades will also produce better results. While a diamond blade is more expensive than the aluminum oxide abrasive blades (these cost anywhere from £1.30 to £6 and diamond blades cost £9 to £16), they are faster and more precise. The industrial diamonds used in the blade are much harder than the aluminum oxide. When using a hand held circular saw a higher quality masonry blade will allow for more control.

Diamond Blades

One of the most popular masonry blades is the diamond blade. This blade cuts through solid stone, ceramic tiles and stone tiles, as well as brick and even flagstone. It is also designed to self-sharpen. As the blade is used, parts of the diamond wear away exposing new, sharper diamond shards beneath it. That means it never has to be sharpened. With a circular saw, this type of blade is best suited to cut brick and granite tiles.

Chopsaw and Grinding Wheel Blades

A chopsaw blade is shaped like a disc and reinforced for added life. This type of circular saw masonry blade is used in mitre saws and circular saws to chop tile and short sections of stone. For granite, brick or concrete this is a professional choice. The grinding wheel is designed in much the same way with a continuous, round, disclike shape. In some cases these blades have abrasives on the sides as well as the edge allowing it to be used like a grinding wheel to shape the corners of tile, cement blocks and bricks. Both of these blades use an aluminum oxide material that is bonded into the blade with an adhesive. This abrasive is strong enough to cut through stone.

Segmented Blades

The shape of the circular saw blade also affects it performance. In general there are two types of circular saw masonry blade shapes. The continuous blade, which is a single disc (mentioned above) and the segmented blade which has a serrated edge divided into large segments. These look like fins and are generally used to remove masonry material from cracks. Used to remove grout or brick mortars these circular saw blades are in a class by themselves. They will use either a diamond tip or abrasive metal cutting surface.

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About the Author

Steve Smith has published articles on a wide range of topics including cars, travel, lifestyle, business, golf, weddings and careers. His articles, features and news stories have appeared in newspapers, consumer magazines and on various websites. Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and journalism from University of New Hampshire Durham.